This invention relates in general to systems for releasably securing an apparatus to a support surface. In particular, this invention relates to an improved latch system for releasably securing a seat to a floor, such as in a vehicle.
Virtually all vehicles are provided with one or more seats that are secured to a support surface, such as a floor, for supporting passengers thereon during operation of the vehicle. In many instances, it is desirable to use the vehicle to transport cargo in addition to or in lieu of passengers. Most vehicles are provided with a predetermined amount of cargo space for this purpose. Unfortunately, when the cargo to be transported is relatively large in size, it may not fit conveniently within the cargo space that is provided within the vehicle. To address this, it is known to releasably secure one or more of the seats to the floor of the vehicle. Such releasable securement allows some or all of the seats to be removed from the vehicle, thereby significantly increasing the amount of cargo space that is available for use.
A variety of latch systems are known in the art for releasably securing the seat to the floor of the vehicle. In some instances, the seat is provided with a pair of hooked-shaped pivot mechanisms on a first end of the seat and a pair of releasable latch mechanisms on a second end of the seat. To install the seat within the vehicle, the seat is initially oriented at an angle relative to the floor and moved such that the pivot mechanisms provided on the first end of the seat engage a corresponding first pair of generally inverted U-shaped striker pins provided on the floor of the vehicle. Then, the seat is tilted downwardly such that the latch mechanisms provided on the second end of the seat engage a corresponding second pair of generally inverted U-shaped striker pins also provided on the floor of the vehicle. The latch mechanisms are then engaged to positively secure the seat to the floor of the vehicle. When so secured, the seat can be reliably used to support passengers within the vehicle during operation. To remove the seat from the vehicle, the latch mechanisms are disengaged, and the installation process is reversed.
Although latch systems of this general type have functioned effectively, it has been found that the pivot mechanisms and the latch mechanisms provided on the bottom of the seat are not always precisely positioned relative to the associated striker pins provided on the floor of the vehicle. Such imprecise relative positioning can occur as a result of manufacturing tolerances associated with manufacture of both the seat and the vehicle. In some instances, this imprecise relative positioning can result in an undesirable misalignment between the one or more of the pivot mechanisms and the latch mechanisms provided on the bottom of the seat and the associated striker pins provided on the floor of the vehicle. As a result of these misalignments, an undesirably large amount of force may be required to engage and disengage the latch mechanisms because some rigid portion of either the seat or the floor of the vehicle must be deformed in order to engage and disengage the latch mechanisms.
To minimize the undesirable effects of these misalignments, it is known to provide each of the latch mechanisms with a resilient structure, such as a rubber cushion, that engages the associated striker pin. When the latch mechanisms are engaged, rigid portions thereof extend about the associated striker pins with relatively small clearances therebetween. At the same time, however, the resilient structures are compressed against the associated striker pins to take up these clearances. Consequently, the amount of force that is required to engage and disengage the latch mechanisms is reduced, even when the pivot mechanisms and the latch mechanisms provided on the bottom of the seat are not precisely positioned relative to the associated striker pins provided on the floor of the vehicle.
Unfortunately, because they are constantly subjected to compressive forces when the seat is installed within the vehicle, it has been found that these rubber cushions can lose their resiliency after a period of use and, as a result, become permanently deformed. When this occurs, relatively small clearances are again created between the latch mechanisms and the associated striker pins. Such clearances can allow undesirable movement of the seat relative to the vehicle, resulting in the generation of rattling noises during operation of the vehicle. This situation is particularly problematic when the seat is unoccupied or only lightly loaded. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an latch system for releasably securing a seat to a floor, such as in a vehicle, that addresses these issues.